Naperville Ale Fest— Joshua Seago Gets It Right

April 13, 2013

There are more and more craft beer festivals popping up every year. And with the growing popularity of craft beer, almost everyone wants their hat in the ring. Some just want to be part of the wave, while others are trying to cash in. Joshua Seago, is neither — he’s a man on a mission. He’s a former banker who started working on the concept of an ale festival in his spare time, purely out of passions and a need he saw it the suburbs of Chicago: How to bring a world-class craft beer festival to Naperville that rewarded the brewers as much as their fans.

After sitting down with Joshua in Solemn Oath’s taproom (my second office these days) and hearing more about his approach, it was clear that he’s doing all the things right that others do so wrong. He’s buying the beer instead of asking for “donations.” He’s finding ways for brewers to take part in the festival and meet their customers rather than just pouring beers for 6 straight hours. He’s bringing in partners to provide unique food and experiences that you just don’t get anywhere else. And he’s doing it all at the Naperville Settlement right in the center of town with 5,000 people. In other words, he’s charting new territory and making a lot of motivated friends along the way. In fact, I’m coming on as a sponsor myself, and I’m going to be documenting the entire festival come July 20th.

Read on for more about Joshua’s own journey through craft beer, and what he’s got in store for the festival. Spoiler alert — VIP tickets are already sold out, but stay tuned because I’ll be offering a giveaway for one in the next month.